Process of making nitrogen and carbon dioxid.



R. H. BROWNLEE & R. H. UHLINGER. PROCESS 0F MAKING NITROGEN AND CARBN DIOXID. APPLICATION FILED AuG.3I. Ism.

l 541, 1. ?2. Patented Sept. 21, 1915.

KC i

FISE..

VENTORS WITN ESSES well-known manner.

ii earns ra ROY H. BROWNLEE AND ROY H. UI-ILINGER, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, AS- SIGNORS TO AMERICAN NITRO-PRODUCTS COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYL- VANIA, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE. v

l PROCESS OF MAKING NITROGEN AND CARBON DIOXID.

Specification cf Letters Patent.

Application led August 31, 1914. Serial N o. 859,274.

To all whom it may concern' Be it known that we, ROY H. BRowNLEn and ROY H. UHLINGER, citizens of the United States, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes of Making N1- trogen and Carbon Dioxid, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention consists of an improved method or process of making nitrogen and carbon dioxid by utilizing the products of combustion of internal combustion or explosion engines, whereby to produce the nitrogen and carbon dioxid as by-products of the original fuel, in the manner more fully hereinafter described.

While the process of the invention may be carried out in connection with various designs of mechanlsm, 1t will be rendered clear by reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawing, showing the principal elements employed. C

In practising the process any suitable fuel is used, as natural, producer, water, coal, or other carbonaceous gas or volatilizable oil or .other suitable carbonaceous substance or hydro-carbon and is first' mixed with a suitable amount of air, then compressed, and exploded in the explosion chamber or chambers of an internal combustiongas or oil engine, for the production of power, in a The explosive mixture as supplied to the engine may be so proportioned as to its air content, that when combustion has occurred,

there will be left in the' resulting products of .5, combustion a minimum excess of oxygen lfand combustible gases. This may be readily eifectedzby adjustment of the mixer. How- ,flever, the proportions of air to fuelused in the explosive engine may be varied between ywidejlimits, so that equivalent proportions ofr an excess of either may be used. When required, -a sufiicient quantity of additional air or a mixture of gas and air is supplied l to the products of combustion from th'eengine, and complete combustion of the resulting mixture is then brought about by bringing it into intimate contact with a mass of suitable hot refractory material, as broken bricks, pottery,or similar substance. These gases, after such treatment and further combustion are converted into nitrogen and carbon dioxid, and are then passed into and through chambers or absorption towers wherein the carbon dioxid is absorbed for making chemical compounds. This may be done as a means for separating the gas from the nitrogen as, for instance, by passing through towerscontaining calcium oxid and hydroxid (as lime) from which practically pure carbon dioxid may be recovered by heating, or as a step in the manufacture of useful carbonates. The gaseous mixture may also bev cooled to separate the water vapor and then compressed and the carbon dioxid liquefied, by suitable treatment in appropriate mechanism, and thus separated from the nitrogen.

By either of the above treatments or steps practically pure nitrogen is produced as the remaining product, and may be utilized in any desired manner.

Figure l is a sectional diagrammatic view showing an installation adapted to carry out the process herein. Fig. 2 is a detail view showing a compressor and coil.

Referring to the diagrammatic dra-wing,

. Fig. l, 2 is an internal combustion engine to which the explosive mixture in suitable proportions is supplied in the usual manner from a mixer 3. The products of combustion ass by waste or exhaust pipe 4, to

cham er 7 containing refractory material 8,

descent material 8 in a highly heated condi.

tion. This i'sdone, in the present case, by the combustion of a certain amount of fuel, quite independent of the remaining unconsumed gases coming over from the preliminary combustion, such fuel and air being supplied by the means just described. The resulting carbon dioxid and nitrogen pass from chamber 7 by conduit 9 to one or more chambers or towers 10 provided with a Water spray pipe 11 and suitable absorbent 12, Where the carbon dioxid isabsorbed, as described. A

It Will be understood that the invention is not limited to the utilization of the products of combustion of an explosive engine, but may be carried out With products of combustin from any other suitable source, as the furnace of a boiler, coke oven, etc.

In Fig. 2, the mixture from. the refactory chamber 7 may pass through a cooling coil 13. and into a compressor 14 for 'lique-l 'faction of the carbon dioxid and resulting 1. `The process of making carbon dioxid and nitrogen lconsisting in adding fuel gasy vto the products of combustion of an internal explosion engine and effecting combustion ,f of the mixture by passing it through a mass of highly heated refractory, material With just sufficient air to eect complete reaction of the gases to produce a maximum proportion of carbon dioxid, andthen separating the carbon dioxid and'nitrogen. p

2. The process of making carbon dioxid and nitrogen consisting in adding fuel to the. products of combustion of a carbona ceous substance and effecting combustion of the mixture by passing it through a mass of highly heated refractory material With just 4sufficient air to effect complete reaction of the gases to produce a maximum proportion of carbon d ioxid, and then separating the carbon dioxld and nitrogen.

Thus, the mix '4 3. The process of making carbon dioxid and nitrogen consisting in mixing a suitable carbonaceou's substance With an amount of air in equivalent proportions to support eventual-complete combustion of the 'mixture and ,exploding the mixture in an internal combustion engine, adding fuel gas to the products of combustion, and then effecting vsubsequent complete combustion of the mixture by passing it through a mass-of highly heated refractory material With just sufficient air to effect complete reaction of 'the gases to' produce a maximum proportion of carbon dioxid, and then separating the carbon dioxid and nitrogen.

4. Thepr'ocess of maklng carbon dioxidand nitrogen consisting in mixing a suitable carbonaceous` substance and a1r,effecting .combustlon of the mlxture in a suitable chamber, adding fluid fuel to the products of combustion and effecting ysubsequent combustion ofthe mixtureby passing it through a mass of highly' heated-refractory material with justsuiicient air to effect complete reaction of the gases to produce a maximum proportion of carbon dioxid. 1

5. The process of making carbon dioxid and nitrogen consisting in mixing a suitable Vcarbonaceous substance and air, effectingV combustion of the mixture in an internal vcombustion engine, adding fluid fuel to the products of combustion and effecting subsequentcomplete combustion of the mixture by passing it through a mass of highly heated refractory material With just suiicient air to effect complete reaction of the gases to produce a maximum proportion of carbon dioXid.

In testimony whereof We hereunto ailix our signatures in the presence of tWo Witnesses. A

ROY H. BROWNLEE. ROY H. UHLINGER.

.Witnesses z C. M. CLARKE, 

